


What Goes Unsaid

by scorperion21



Category: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Cursed Child compliant, Father Son Bonding, Scorpius can't sleep, albus and harry get a scene together, and if you don't agree i will fight you, draco and scorpius hug three (3) times, draco malfoy is a Good Dad, scenes that should have been, so should draco and scorpius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23858164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorperion21/pseuds/scorperion21
Summary: After the events of his fourth year, Scorpius is finding it difficult to sleep. Who better to have a late night conversation with than his dad?
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Scorpius Malfoy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 84
Collections: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: the scenes that never made the final cut





	What Goes Unsaid

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the collection organised by SunshineScorpius, thank you! Harry and Albus get a scene of father-son bonding at the end of the play, and I strongly believe that Scorpius and Draco should as well.

Scorpius can’t sleep. He has tried; tossing and turning on his bed for hours, the hands of his clock ticking closer to dawn, but to no avail. 

Well, that’s not quite true, he had fallen asleep very briefly, only to be woken violently after his dream has descended into a horrifying mix of memories from the last few days – Delphi, the murder of one of his classmates, Voldemort, his own torture… 

He had not tried too hard to get to sleep again after waking from that. 

He had, instead, selected to make his way down to the library of his home. His trunk stands waiting next to the unlit fireplace – although his and Albus’ disciplining had been severe and their punishments are likely to last until they are in their seventh year at Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall is not a cruel and heartless lady. She had realised the effect that their time turning jaunt was having on both him and Albus and had sent them home to recover for as long as they wanted. It has only been a few days but Albus had owled Scorpius just hours before to say he will be going back tomorrow – and Scorpius has elected to do the same. 

He’s not sure if that’s adding to the reasons of why he can’t sleep – although he is looking forward to seeing Albus again, he can’t say he extends the same feelings to the rest of the student body. He’s not sure how they will react to what he and Albus have done – a story which was supposed to be kept on the down low and yet, according to Albus (who has heard it through Lily), it is spreading through the school like fiendfyre. 

As that thought crosses his mind again, Scorpius abandons the book he has been trying to read with a sigh (it’s not like he has been taking it in anyway) and just stares with unseeing eyes into the grate of the fire, pulling his knees up close to his chest. He can’t sleep, he can’t focus on anything, and he would go for a walk if it wasn’t for the fact that his father has put a spell on the front and back doors for fear of Scorpius running away again. For a second, Scorpius contemplates going to wake up his dad – it would probably do him good to talk to someone. He has thought about sending a letter to Albus about it, but he knows Albus has got his own things going on too, and that really only leaves his dad. 

He has tried, in the few days he has been at home, to initiate a serious conversation about everything that’s happened, but every time he has gone to say something the words have died in his throat and he has rapidly chosen another subject to speak about. He _wants_ to speak to his dad, to fix everything, but he doesn’t really know where to begin. It would be no different this time, and he’s not sure his dad would be happy with being woken up in the middle of the night anyway. 

He decides it's probably sensible to not wake his dad, and also that if he’s not going to be able to sleep, he would rather be curled up under his duvet than on the sofa in the draughty library, but before he can get up the door creaks open. Scorpius jumps, his hand automatically flying to his pocket where he normally keeps his wand, even though he’s wearing pyjamas and he wouldn’t be allowed to do magic outside of school anyway, but when the door is just ajar it’s his dad that pokes his head into the room. 

“Hi Dad.” Scorpius squeaks, feeling guilty, even though this is his house and there is no problem with him being in the library. 

“Hello. I thought I heard you come down, is everything okay?” Draco asks, coming more fully into the room. 

“Yes, I’m fine thank you. Just couldn’t sleep.” Scorpius replies, looking back into the empty fireplace, wondering why he keeps telling his dad he is fine when actually he’s not. 

“Those two things sort of contradict each other Scorpius. If you can’t sleep then that normally means something is bothering you. What is it?” his dad’s voice is soft, but firm, and Scorpius knows there is no arguing with him. He can’t help himself though; just shrugs his shoulders without looking round. In his peripheral vision, he sees Draco move across the room, and then feels the sofa dip as he sits down beside him. 

“You don’t have to talk to me, but I just want to make sure you’re okay. Is it about going back to school?” Draco’s voice is still soft and sincere, and it’s making tears well up in Scorpius’ eyes even though he’s not really sure why. It might be because his dad has clearly been wanting to have the same conversation as him, but neither one of them has known how to begin it. Scorpius thinks that this might be his chance. 

“It’s not really about school. I don’t know. I’m just, worried about what will happen when I go back.” Scorpius mumbles, figuring that that’s a good place to start. 

“You don’t have to go back yet, you know Professor McGonagall said you could stay at home as long as you wanted.” Draco reasons, sliding closer to Scorpius on the sofa and putting his arm along the back of it. Scorpius wishes his dad would come close enough for a hug. 

“I know, but Albus is going back and I think it would be worse if one of us went back alone.” Scorpius says, because honestly if Albus wasn’t going back yet than neither would he. But he also knows that what he is saying is accurate; being alone surrounded by bullies would be much, _much_ worse than being surrounded by bullies with his best friend at his side. 

“That makes sense,” Draco nods his head, agreeing, and then pauses slightly before adding- “and is that it or is something else bothering you?” 

Scorpius shrugs again, letting his legs down to the floor, debating on best how to word what’s going on with him. In the end he just blurts it out- “I couldn’t sleep, before, and then when I did, I had a nightmare about what happened. And I’m scared of going back to sleep in case I have another one.” 

“Oh Scorpius...” his dad says, quietly, and then his arms are gathering Scorpius close into a hug and Scorpius is startled for a second before he burrows into Draco as close as he can get, winding his arms tightly around his dad, unshed tears from his night of turmoil finally spurting down his cheeks. He sniffs, loudly, and Draco brushes a hand down Scorpius’ back and turns his head ever so slightly to press a kiss into Scorpius’ hair. 

“It’s okay if you need to cry Scorpius.” he whispers softly, and that is all it takes for the tears to consume Scorpius entirely. He can feel his shoulders shaking and his cheeks dampening as he finally, _finally_ admits to himself how terrified he is, and how scared he is to leave his dad without them being okay before he goes. He used to feel silly about crying in front of Draco, but now he is starting to see that it really is okay, and that whatever he has to say his dad will listen to intently and kindly and without judgement. 

“It’s alright, it’s all going to be okay.” Draco whispers soft words as he rocks Scorpius slightly, like he used to when Scorpius was younger, and his tears were about the monsters under his bed and not the ones in his head. Scorpius, eventually, cries himself out and pulls back from his dad to wipe at his tear-stained cheeks. 

“Don’t, don’t do that.” Draco says, taking his wand out and conjuring a tissue, which he passes to Scorpius before Scorpius can ruin the sleeves of his pyjamas. 

“Thanks.” Scorpius mumbles, accepting it gratefully and rubbing his tears away before blowing his nose. 

“Is this still just about school or nightmares? Or is there something else?” Draco asks, pushing gently, but enough that Scorpius doesn’t really know anymore. Can they really just fix their problems in one night? He knows that that’s unlikely, but he would very much like to try. He still doesn’t know what to say. 

“I don’t know, my head’s all muddled.” Scorpius says quietly, shaking his head as though he can dislodge what he wants to say. 

“Okay, that’s okay,” Draco shuffles up to Scorpius again and puts his arm around Scorpius’ shoulders. Scorpius immediately curls into him again, clutching the front of his dad’s top as though it’s the only thing that will keep him tethered to the world. “Take a couple of deep breaths for me and just start where you can.” 

Scorpius takes a few shaky breaths, and debates where to begin. He decides to go for the most obvious. “I can’t sleep because I’m thinking too much about what’s happened, and then when I do fall asleep I have nightmares, so then when I wake up I’m scared of going to sleep again.” 

“Okay. That doesn’t sound like it’s going to be easy to deal with. And I know how much you hate sleeping potions-” Scorpius nods vehemently at this (he had tried them when he was younger but they always made his head fuzzy the next day) “-but you can always try them again. But I’m afraid this might be something you have to wait out. It will get easier, as the nights go by, to sleep again. And you know you can always come and find me and talk to me if you need too. Albus as well, I bet, once you get back to school.” 

“Do you really think it will get better?” Scorpius asks in a small voice, and he feels his dad nodding. 

“It might take a while Scorpius, but you’re strong. You can get there.” 

“Do you really think that?” 

“Of course, I do. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” 

“Really?” Scorpius asks again, looking up so he can see his dad’s expression when he answers the question. 

“Really.” Scorpius thinks his dad might be annoyed that he’s asked the same question again, but actually he smiles indulgently. “You might look like me, but you are so much like your mother on the inside that sometimes it leaves me speechless. The two of you, you know, are some of the kindest, strongest and bravest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.” 

Scorpius can feel tears swelling up in his eyes again. He doesn’t know the last time his father has said anything like this to him. “You think I’m brave?” 

Draco nods. “Scorpius, you go out every day and face this world that has decided something about you that is not true, something cruel and evil, and you face it with a smile and all the kindness you can muster. You’re going back to a school which torments you simply so your best friend doesn’t have to do it alone. You know what our family did in the war and you have brushed it aside and decided to create an entirely new meaning for the word ‘Malfoy’. That, my love, is bravery and something I wish the entire Malfoy line had in them. Because then maybe you wouldn’t have to be so brave now.” 

Scorpius doesn’t really know what to say to that, just hides his face back in his dad’s shirt. A small, tremulous smile comes to his face. All he’s wanted his whole life is for his dad to see him, and it turns out that perhaps he was doing it all along. 

“If I’m even a little bit brave then I’ve definitely inherited some of that from you.” Scorpius says after a minute of composing himself. 

“What do you mean?” Draco sounds genuinely confused, so Scorpius shuffles away again to look at his face. 

“You know Mum said one of the bravest things she ever saw was when you stood up to grandfather about you marrying her.” Scorpius reminds him before realising that he didn't tell that to _this_ version of his dad, and perhaps he doesn’t know that. 

“She really said that?” Draco asks, and for a second Scorpius thinks that there are tears in his eyes too, but he blinks and Scorpius decides it was a trick of the light. Scorpius nods, the tiny smile reappearing on his face. He pauses for a second and decides whether to tell this version of his dad the other thing his mum used to say. 

He takes another deep breath, and says, quietly, “She also always used to say you were a better man than I could see. She was right.” 

“Scorpius, oh-” Draco reaches for Scorpius’ hand and squeezes it tight. Scorpius squeezes back and realises that they both really _do_ have tears in their eyes. “-I know I haven’t always been the best dad to you. I think I was just scared; you’re my perfect boy and I don’t want to ruin you. I promise you I’m going to try harder.” 

“You have been a good dad, I promise.” Scorpius says, because even though he is the first to admit that they have had their issues, he knows deep down in his heart that his dad has tried his best and that’s all the matters to him. “It can’t have been easy. With losing mum and everything. But I'm safe, and I’m happy, and doesn’t that count for something?” 

“Maybe you’re right.” Draco says, letting go of Scorpius’ hand to cupping his cheek gently for a second. “You’re safe _now_ anyway.” 

Scorpius can feel the anxiety creeping back in on him again, fast flashes of _DelphimurderVoldemorttorture_ coming in to his mind. He shakes his head quickly to get rid of them. 

“Okay?” Draco asks, soft again. 

“Yeah, just thinking about what happened. I’m so sorry I did that to you Dad.” 

“It’s okay Scorpius. Well I mean it’s not _okay._ I was terrified, and the thought of losing you is completely unfathomable. But if you hadn’t gone, then who knows what might have happened? We could still be stuck in the horrible second timeline that you went to, and I definitely don’t want to be _that_ man. Why don’t we just start again, from now?” Draco suggests, and Scorpius nods enthusiastically for a second before a thought comes to him that makes him shake his head. 

“I want to start again from a bit earlier. I’d like to remember the bit where you tried to fight Harry Potter because he stopped me and Albus from being friends, and the bit where you used your time-turner to come and save us.” Scorpius says, and a small smile graces the stoic expression of his dad. 

“You do make me sound a little bit brave when you put it like that.” Draco says, and Scorpius laughs lightly. There’s a silence, and Scorpius realises that now might be the perfect opportunity to ask a question that has been on his mind since Draco explained to him that the reason they were all able to come back and get him and Albus is because he had a time-turner of his own stashed away in the bowels of Malfoy Manor. 

“Did you ever think about using your time-turner to go back and see Mum?” he asks, looking between his own lap and his dad’s face, worried that he might be prying a little bit. 

“Nearly every day.” Draco says sadly, but putting Scorpius at ease with how quickly he answers the question. 

“And you never did?” 

Draco shakes his head. “Maybe I always knew I would need it to go back and save you.” 

“Maybe.” 

Draco is silent for a second, and then he is gathering up Scorpius in his arms again. Scorpius hugs him back tightly; apparently this is a thing that they _do_ now, and he is thrilled. 

“I couldn’t lose you too Scorpius, I just couldn’t.” Draco says, his voice cracking slightly. 

“You’re not going to lose me, I promise.” Scorpius says back, firmly, his throat blocking a little from the amount of emotion in his dad’s voice. 

“I know I don’t say it enough, but I love you. You know that don’t you?” 

“Of course, I know that. I love you too. I don’t say it enough either.” 

Draco pulls away from him, a rueful smile on his face. “You’re a teenager, I don’t think you’re supposed to say it a lot.” 

“Since when have I had any interest in being like a normal teenager?” Scorpius points out. 

“That’s true.” Draco teases. Scorpius can’t help the bright smile that comes to his face; he knows that this isn’t _it._ This isn’t him and his dad with a completely fixed relationship; this is them beginning to fix it and he feels a lot better in himself (and with the idea of going back to Hogwarts) now that it has begun. He can see them getting there, not now, maybe not soon, but they will and he is happier about that than anything else. 

“Now, do you think maybe you can try and sleep a bit before you have to go back to school? I don’t want a letter from Professor McGonagall telling me off because you’ve fallen asleep in class.” 

“Yeah, I’ll try.” Scorpius agrees quietly, no matter that he knows it’s not going to happen. He can’t remember the last time he had a proper, full night of sleep. 

“Okay, come on then.” Draco gets up off the sofa, and Scorpius follows suit. When they have both ascended the stairs, Draco turns towards Scorpius before they can go back into their bedrooms. 

“Goodnight, try and get some sleep. And if change your mind and want some sleeping potion you know where to find me.” he says softly, and Scorpius nods. 

“Thank you. Good night Dad. Sleep well.” Scorpius turns towards his bedroom door, but hovers with his hand on the door handle without going inside. A thought has occurred to him, something that he thinks will help but he’s worried his dad will think it’s a silly idea. Apparently, Draco has realised something is going on. 

“Okay, Scorpius?” he enquires, concern lacing the edges of his voice. 

Scorpius dithers on the spot for a second, before turning towards his dad but not meeting his eye. “I was just wondering... I mean I thought...I know I’m a bit old now-” 

Draco cuts across him with a short but amused laugh. “Oh yes, fourteen is practically _ancient_.” 

Scorpius thinks that normally this would make his lose confidence in what he wants to say, but as it is, it makes him feel just a little bit braver. Maybe his dad _won’t_ think he’s being silly, not if he doesn’t think that fourteen is old. 

“I thought, maybe would it be okay if I came to sleep in your room? It used to stop me having nightmares when I was younger.” Scorpius moves his eyes away from his dad again as he blurts this out, tugging on the end of his pyjama sleeves as though he can hide away in them. 

“Scorpius, of course you can.” Draco says softly, and Scorpius chances a glance at his dad to see that his expression has softened considerably. 

“You really don’t mind?” Scorpius’ voice is practically a whisper, and Draco shakes his head as he smiles encouragingly. 

“Come on, and then maybe we’ll both be able to get some sleep.” he says, gesturing at Scorpius and then opening his bedroom door. Scorpius grins at him and bounds over, following his dad into his bedroom and, hopefully, some rest. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoyed, this is only the second non-Scorbus fic I've ever posted so please let me know, thank you!
> 
> You can find me on Twitter at: @scorperion21


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